Civil War
by neveroutoftime
Summary: AU in which most of the Mystic Falls gang existed in 1864. Stefan Salvatore and Caroline Forbes are best friends, but the arrival of Katherine Pierce puts a strain on their friendship, and growing feelings for each other. Rated T for now.
1. The Unholy Trinity

It started on a warm day in the spring of 1864. The sky was full of clouds that only parted every once in a while to let sunshine drip down onto the town of Mystic Falls, Virginia, a town that was surrounded by war and despair, and contained many dark secrets.

Stefan Salvatore was sitting in between his best friend, Caroline Forbes, and his brother, Damon. The three were sat on the large stairs that were the entrance into the Salvatore's massive home, swatting away bugs as they carried on a casual conversation. The blonde Forbes girl holding a football between her two gloved hands, and grinning wickedly at Stefan and Damon.

"… I bet I can throw the ball farther than you can," Caroline teased, raising an eyebrow at Damon, who laughed in response.

"I'm sure, Caroline," He said, "We both know I'm stronger than you are."

She smirked at him, and stood slowly, careful not to trip on her long, blue dress. She then grinned down at him, and ran down the steps before throwing the ball a great distance. They all watched in awe as it sailed over the grass and landed just beyond the patch of grass in the middle of the road leading right up to the mansion.

Stefan stood slowly, and applauded his best friend. "Well done," He whispered in her ear, and then smiled as she giggled lightly and thanked him. He and Caroline had been best friends since they were babies, born exactly a week apart, him being the older of the two. They were raised together, and since their parents had been friends, they were friends. Though many suspected they were more, their bond had never been anything more than friendship, and the most physical contact either had ever had with the other was a hug when Caroline's father passed away two years earlier.

Damon, not having many other friends aside from Matt Donovan and Tyler Lockwood—neither of which was very close to him—often found himself in the company of his brother and the attractive blonde. They became a tight-knit trio as the years passed, almost inseparable, and constantly together. The only time they were ever separated was when Damon went off to "defend the south," as he'd say with an almost dissatisfied smile on his face. This was why they'd been spending so much time together as of late; Damon was leaving later that day to rejoin the battle. He'd only taken a break due to a minor injury in his ankle, which had fully healed in the three weeks since he'd left.

"Yeah, for a girl," He said suddenly, stepping forward to retrieve the ball, when Caroline stopped him, glaring into his eyes. If looks could kill, Caroline Forbes would be a murderer.

"For a girl?" She asked, a hiss creeping into her voice, "Are you serious? Any girl can throw just as good as a man can; she just doesn't get as many opportunities because it is not considered 'lady-like'. The throw was a good throw for anyone, okay?"

Damon nodded quickly, and Caroline grinned, "Alright, now go get the ball, and let's see you throw it farther," She commanded him.

Immediately, Damon obeyed, running in the direction that the ball had landed. As soon as he was gone, Stefan turned to the blonde, and raised an eyebrow, "Can you imagine if you had said that around our parents?" He asked, "You know they would have told you."

She scoffed at him, "Perhaps, but your brother knows who is in charge here, and…"

"And?"

"You didn't laugh."

"Because you were right."

"You think a girl can throw as good as a man?"

"Do you know me at all, Caroline Forbes?"

"I've known you all your life."

"Minus one week."

Caroline immediately smacked his arm, "Be quiet, you ass," She whispered as Damon approached, carrying the ball.

"I don't know why you're being so rude about this," he muttered, brushing his hair out of his eyes, "I am the one who taught you this game."

She laughed, "I'm being rude?" She asked.

Stefan stepped in before Caroline could engage in more play fighting, "Why don't you just throw the ball so we can settle this, Damon?" He asked.

His brother sighed, "Oh, alright."

Damon then walked down the stairs, and prepared himself to throw the ball properly, while Stefan and Caroline sat down, and watched. His throw was executed perfectly, though not powerfully, and the ball's landing fell just short of the patch of grass.

Laughter immediately erupted from the mouths of his brother and his friend, and curses left his own silently.

"It isn't that funny," Damon growled, retaking the spot next to Caroline. He cleared his throat, and the two ceased their laughter.

Caroline let out one last giggle as she leaned back against the pearl white stairs of the Salvatore mansion. A sign escaped her lips, "I am so glad I came here today," She breathed, "My mother wouldn't bring the arguing to an end."

"If you don't mind me asking," Damon questioned, "What were the arguments about?"

A crow flew over their heads at that moment, briefly distracting Caroline from her answer, "That's always a good sign," She mumbled sarcastically, running a hand through her blonde curls. Feeling the weight of their eyes on her worried expression, she turned her head towards the sky, and breathed in deeply.

"Caroline," Stefan said softly, "What's wrong?" He reached out and allowed his hand to toy with a piece of her hair, a habit he'd had since the moment Caroline's curls were long enough to style.

"You're aware that I have become close with Tyler Lockwood, correct?" She asked, continuing to gaze at the sky.

"Correct," Both Salvatores replied in unison.

"Well," the blonde continued, "She is pressuring me to marry him, which is why I've gotten closer to him. The problem is, I don't want to do it. I'm just not ready to jump into a marriage, especially with someone I don't love."

Feeling the weight of their stares once again, Caroline sat up, and looked at Stefan, "I know it's ridiculous to want to marry someone I actually give a damn about, and it's probably not going to happen, but…"

Her friend reached out, and placed his hand on hers, "No, it's fine," he said gently, "Damon and I feel the same way, in fact, I think most people want that for themselves, but they're too afraid to admit it."

Damon laughed, "Anything that goes against what's common in this age is frowned upon," He added, causing Caroline to turn to him and grin.

"Thank you for your kindness," She breathed, "Both of you, honestly, I am glad to discover that you agree with me. If only my mother felt the same way. Does your father ever pressure you to find wives?"

Their mouths opened to respond to her question, but the three were interrupted by the sound of hooves colliding with pavement sounded nearby, and Stefan stood, "Damon, you may just want to—"

"I know," Damon moaned, running into his home to change into his uniform.

As soon as he was gone, a carriage rounded the corner as Stefan and Caroline watched. "Here comes the biggest ass of them all," She mumbled, then watched as her friend laughed from the corner of her eye.

"We may need to stand and brush off our clothes," He whispered back, "We don't want to appear dirty in front of my father."

"Oh no," Caroline said, standing slowly, and brushing off her skirts and corseted top, "would he think we were doing scandalous things?"

"Oh yes," Stefan replied sarcastically as he stood, "Scandalous enough to send Mrs. Donovan running for the hills."

"That's fairly scandalous."

"Shh, he's here."

They stood together in an appropriate stance as the carriage pulled to a stop in front of them, and Giuseppe Salvatore stepped out. The intimidating man glanced at the two youths before him, and sighed, "Bernard?" He called to the driver of the coach, a young boy who had dark skin, and a deep red coat on, "Please retrieve the ball from the lawn, it appears my sons have left it out."

As the boy set to work, Giuseppe approached Stefan and Caroline, "Miss. Forbes," He said in greeting.

She bowed her head, "Mr. Salvatore," She said in return.

"As much as it pleases me to see you, I'm afraid I must send you home," the man said, "I have some news to give to my son."

Stefan raised an eyebrow, and stepped closer to Caroline, "What is it, father?" He asked worriedly, "Is something wrong?"

His father dismissed his question with a hand gesture, "Nothing's the matter, however, some changes are going to be occurring," He replied, "And I would prefer to tell you about it without the presence of Miss. Forbes."

The two glanced nervously at each other, then Stefan spoke, "Well, if there isn't anything wrong, I'm certain you can tell the both of us," He said. Caroline nodded, smiling affectionately at Stefan.

His father let out a sigh, "In a few days, we're going to be taking in a new house guest," He said, "Her name is Pierce, Miss Katherine Pierce. She's an orphan, lost her family in the fires of Atlanta," He added, watching their faces grow solemn at the news, "I trust you will do your part to make Miss Pierce feel welcome here?"

Stefan and Caroline nodded simultaneously, "Of course, Mr. Salvatore," Caroline responded with a smile, "As much as I enjoy the company of your boys, I am in deep need of a friend who simply enjoys sitting down to tea."

Her friend let out a slight chuckle at the lie, then grunted when she elbowed him lightly in the side. Stefan's father failed to notice, and smiled politely at Caroline, "I'm glad to hear you say that, my dear, now if you'll excuse me, I have business to take care of." He began to ascend the stairs, but Stefan stopped him.

"What business?" His son asked, "I thought that was what you'd been out doing all day."

"It was," Giuseppe replied, opening and closing the door as he walked in.

Caroline's eyebrows furrowed as she watched him leave, then she looked at Stefan, "Well," she breathed, "A new house guest… That should make things interesting for a while."

The corners of Stefan's mouth twitched, but he didn't smile, which told Caroline that something was wrong. "Are you alright?" She asked, placing a hand on his shoulder. He turned his eyes on her, and she looked into them worriedly.

"I'm fine," He replied, "I'm not worried about the new house guest, though, if she discovers our secret hiding place behind the maze… I suppose she could be a problem then, but otherwise…" He sat down, and then she sat with him as he continued speaking, "My problem is with my father. He's been acting suspicious as of late, he's doing business with the Lockwoods, the Fells, the Gilberts, and the lot, and then he's doing business at home too, and I can't purge the feeling that something's wrong."

Caroline scooted closer to him so that their sides were touching, and crossed her legs at the ankles, "I'm sure everything is fine," She promised him, "Your father is notorious for being obsessed with his work. Perhaps his business is making arrangements for the new arrival."

Stefan smirked at her, then began to toy with her hair, "It is a possibility. I hope you're right, it's not normal for him to work so much."

As she watched his fingers twirl a piece of her blonde tresses, she sighed, "Do you ever notice that as we age, our troubles seem to grow?" She asked.

His nod was all she needed to confirm his answer, but he voiced it anyway, "Life used to be all about just finding time to be with you and Damon, now it's finding work, school work, 'be a man, Stefan,' and 'who are you marrying, Stefan,' and it's honestly frightening. I sometimes wish I could just hide in our hiding place forever, and never come out."

A grin spread widely on the attractive blonde's face, and she stood abruptly, taking Stefan's hand in hers and pulling him on his feet. "Come on!" She exclaimed, keeping her hold on his hand and leading him down the stairs.

"Where are we going?" He protested.

She pointed towards the maze, "Race you to our hiding place," She said, breaking into a run.

Stefan laughed, "I'll win!" He shouted.

"Don't think so!" She shouted back from a distance.

He gained on her swiftly, his muscular legs giving him a certain speed that she didn't have, but she rounded the corners of the maze better than he did. Despite her advantage he ran past her, panting as he went, and laughing breathlessly at her protests. "Jackass!" She shouted as they rounded a corner, they were practically on each other's heels as they approached their spot.

"You're going to lose," Stefan panted as they reached the hole in the shrubbery that was the entrance to their spot.

"Not if I play dirty," Caroline panted in reply, reaching her foot out and tripping him easily. He merely stumbled, but it was enough to give her the lead, and she pushed through the shrubs, and into the small patch of forest just outside of the Salvatore property. She took a moment to breathe in the clean air, which was free from all the gossip and toxicity of the people in Mystic Falls, free from all the drama that she dealt with on a daily basis.

Stefan burst through the shrubs next, brushing off a few stray leaves that had landed on his clean, navy blue jacket. "You are in so much trouble," He grumbled as he approached Caroline. She giggled in response, a light, wonderful sound that echoed off of nearby trees, filling the forest with its joy.

She lightly shoved his shoulder, "Sorry, I just wanted to win," She said playfully, pulling his tie from its place in his jacket.

"Do you really want to start this?" He asked, raising her eyebrows, "We're not children."

"We're not adults either," Caroline protested, "Come on."

He thought for a moment, then pulled a pin from her hair, allowing one of the few pinned up curls to fall into her face. "Hey!" She yelled, reaching up and ruffling his well groomed locks. His hands grabbed her wrists as they descended to her sides, "You can't take my hands, that's not fair!"

"It wasn't fair when you tripped me either."

"That was different," She said, slipping a whine into her voice, but she couldn't help the giggle that slipped out as she finished speaking. With great effort, she began to wrestle her arms from Stefan, who had a tight grip on her hands, "You ass," She muttered, then, as she struggled more intensely, she began to lose her balance, "Oh f—"

The two of them fell to the ground, Stefan's strong hands catching himself just inches from Caroline's face, "Oh lord, I'm sorry," He blurted out, "I lost my—"

"No, it- it was my fault."

"I got your dress dirty."

"I didn't really like it much anyway."

"Gloves too."

She let out a laugh, then looked up into his eyes, "We should probably…"

"Oh, right, sorry," He muttered, then he stood, and helped her to get back on her feet as well.

She stood gracefully, then smiled, "Well, that was an adventure," She said, brushing dirt off of her dress. She stopped suddenly when she noticed him reaching towards her face, then pull something that looked like a leaf out of her hair. Her eyes locked on his, but neither of them said anything as they moved closer to each other. Caroline's heart was racing, not knowing quite how to react to the situation, all she knew was that this was going to end with them kissing, not knowing how to react afterwards, and…

She didn't want to think about the afterwards. She placed a hand on his arm, and pulled him closer until their faces were almost touching. Her eyes closed in anticipation, but just before their lips touched she heard someone shout, "Stefan! Caroline! Where did you go?"

They shot away from each other like bullets. The only looks they gave each other were glances from the corners of their eyes that said "we have a lot to talk about but not right now" as they listened to the sound of Damon's footsteps getting closer.


	2. Before Katherine

After Damon was gone and Caroline had gone home, Stefan lay awake on his bed staring at the ceiling. All he could think about was how the chasing game with Caroline had ended.

His thoughts just couldn't stray from the way they'd moved closer and closer together, and she'd grabbed his arm—

 _Easy, Stefan_ he thought to himself as he replayed the scene over and over in his head. Thinking back on it, he almost wished that he'd ignored the sound of Damon's voice as he approached them in the maze. He almost wished that he'd kissed Caroline that day.

But _why_?

Why was he thinking about his best friend like this? They'd never been anything more than friends, and as far as he knew they both intended to stay that way for the rest of their lives. They'd grow old and raise their own families together, but not _that_ kind of together. Why had that changed?

He could practically feel the butterflies doing ballet in his stomach, and he began to realize the reason why what happened yesterday happened. Those feelings he had for Caroline? Those nice little platonic feelings of friendship? They had changed. Not completely, for he still thought of her as his closest and best friend, but they'd changed enough for him to know it wasn't just her friendship he desired.

A smile crossed his face. He then rolled onto his side, and slowly fell into a peaceful sleep.

Just down the street from Stefan, lay Caroline on a bed of her own. She too was restless since the almost kiss, not knowing what to make of it, or how to react. What would she do when she saw him tomorrow? What would their first conversation be?

She had no clue. All she knew was that things were going to be very different when she saw Stefan again.

Another thought crossed her mind: _why_ did the almost kiss happen? She and Stefan were just friends. Nothing was supposed to happen between them, and nothing ever had. That didn't mean that she hadn't been starting to feel something for him that was beyond friendship. She wouldn't admit it to herself, but the almost kiss that day wasn't the first sign of romantic feelings on her side.

The first sign had come six months earlier at a party hosted by the Lockwoods, she'd gone with Tyler Lockwood, and Stefan had gone with one of the Fell's daughters. Her distracted mind failed to remember which one.

 _She had watched them dance together as she danced with Tyler, looking on with what she thought was a neutral expression, right up until the moment her partner cleared his throat. "Why are you looking at Stefan Salvatore?" He asked._

 _She laughed, "I'm not," She'd replied, "I was…" She failed to come up with a good excuse._

 _Tyler nodded, "I know, but perhaps next time, you could try to hide your envy," He whispered._

Things had only escalated from there. She'd scooted closer to him whenever they sat together, sometimes the distance between them was of questionable propriety. She started blushing whenever he'd tease her, and then tell him she was cold when he asked her why her cheeks were so red. "As a tomato," he'd tell her.

And here she was, lying restlessly on her bed thinking about why the almost kiss had happened, and not realizing the answer.

It had surprised her that she'd acted on the kiss, but that he'd initiated the move towards her, and he'd leaned in and closed his eyes first. That was what she found truly surprising. As far as she knew, he hadn't felt anything for her, and she hadn't quite realized she'd felt anything for him.

Then it hit her, they had feelings for each other. Latent, hidden, and undiscovered feelings that just hadn't even been considered a possibility for either. It was almost frightening. How had she missed it? How had she missed his feelings, or her feelings? How had she missed something so obvious?

That was probably why Damon rolled his eyes every time they complimented each other. While she and Stefan hadn't realized what was happening between them, he had. Damon knew.

She almost let herself wonder how many other people knew about what happened between herself and Stefan, but then she heard the distant sound of birds chirping, and realized that dawn was fast coming. Sighing, she closed her eyes, and tried to fall asleep.

When Caroline woke up in the morning, the sun was shining on her face, directly into her eyes. She immediately looked away, and slowly rolled out of bed. She felt inexplicably tired, and when she looked in the mirror she noticed she had bags under her eyes. That would have to be dealt with via a whole lot of makeup later.

Nearly an hour after she'd woken, Caroline had gotten dressed, dealt with her dark under eyes, and begun a walk to the Salvatore mansion. A velvet shawl was draped around her shoulders, as this particular April morning was rather chilly, and even with the layers of her skirts and her shawl, she was shivering.

Within a matter of minutes she'd reached her destination, and knocked on the Salvatore's door. When it opened, she was surprised to see Stefan on the other side of it rather than one of Giuseppe's slaves.

"Stefan," She said in greeting, "Good morning."

He nodded, "It is," He replied, "A-a good morning."

She smiled awkwardly at him, not knowing quite what to say after that. Luckily, he had that covered.

"Walk with me?" He asked, stepping out of his home.

"Absolutely," She said, offering her arm to him, and smiling genuinely this time when he took it.

The two walked towards the maze in silence, only speaking once they were inside it, and away from prying eyes. It was Stefan who spoke first, his soft voice gently breaking the quietness.

"Yesterday I almost kissed you," He said plainly, as if he were telling her the sky was blue.

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, "I'm aware," She responded, "I almost kissed you too." She turned towards him, unlinking her arm from his, and looking him in the eyes.

He swallowed nervously, looking around at the various parts of the maze, "I have been thinking about what happened, about you and I, and I think something has changed between us," He told her, "Am I wrong?"

She shook her head, "No," She murmured, "You're not wrong; I think something has changed between us, too."

They both laughed uneasily, and looked away from each other.

Suddenly, Caroline took his hand, and began to lead him toward their hiding place, "Come on," She whispered. He walked beside her without hesitation, and when they were finally in their hiding place, she let go of his hand.

"I was thinking last night that I shouldn't have pulled away," He admitted, reaching his hand up to play with a strand of her hair.

Caroline took a deep, but shaky breath, and stepped a little closer to him, "Well," She said, "I pulled away too."

They stared at each other for a long moment, listening to the sounds of birds chirping around them. In the midst of it all, Stefan removed his hand from Caroline's, and placed it on her waist. She didn't say anything as he once again stepped closer to her, just like the day before, nor did he say anything when she placed her hand on his arm.

Caroline could feel the warmth of the sun on her face as she brought herself closer to him, and closed her eyes.

This time they did not pull away, and their lips met at last. Everything around them seemed to melt away, the sound of the annoying birds, the distant chopping sound of hooves on pavement, and the blinding light of the sun beaming down onto their faces.

Their hearts were both racing, adrenaline coursing through their veins. Neither of them was able to form any sort of thought as their kiss deepened, and Caroline placed a hand delicately behind Stefan's neck.

When they finally did pull away, Stefan felt slightly disoriented, and he suspected that wasn't just the rapid beating of his heart causing it. He slowly opened his eyes, and saw that Caroline had opened hers too. Neither of them said anything as they pulled further and further away from each other until they were no longer touching.

It was Caroline who broke the silence first, "One of us should probably say something," She whispered.

"Go for it," He replied, keeping his eyes locked on hers.

"Not that," She said, smacking his arm lightly, "I just can't think of what to say."

Stefan grinned at her, "I can't think of what to say either," He said, "All I know is that I rather enjoyed kissing you."

At that, Caroline stopped laughing, but a smile remained in her eyes, "I enjoyed kissing you, too," She breathed, taking a step back.

They stared into each other's eyes for a moment, then Stefan interrupted their brief silence, "My father told me after you left that he expects Miss. Pierce to arrive in two days," He said, "Which means tomorrow is when everything changes."

Caroline placed a hand on his cheek, "Not necessarily," She murmured, "Not if we don't let it."

"But what if things do change, Caroline?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, there's going to be some stranger around at all hours, and it'll mean you and I don't get to see each other as often."

"Stefan, I promise, this girl won't change how much you and I see each other. If anything changes that, it'll be my mother forcing me to find a husband."

Stefan looked at the ground, and then kicked at it lightly with his foot. It seemed suddenly as if everything was working against them, trying to prevent the two of them from finding happiness. First Caroline's situation, now Katherine Pierce.

Suddenly, Caroline took his hand, "Stefan, are the branches on the tree outside of your room still sturdy?" She asked.

He nodded, "Yes, why?"

"I've been struck with an idea, don't fall asleep too early tonight."

"Yes, ma'am," Stefan replied teasingly.

Caroline smiled at him, "Alright, then, I must be going, my mother expects me to join the Lockwoods today," She said, "Apparently they have an announcement to make."

Stefan smiled back, then he took her hand to his lips, and kissed it gently. He then watched as she walked away from him, and towards the exit of the maze, and her home.

He spent the next few hours restless, anxiously awaiting Caroline's return. Without Damon to keep him company, he was forced to help his father in his office, writing various letters of questionable content to many other founding families. By the end of the day, Stefan was exhausted, and when he finally got to his bed that night, he almost fell asleep.

The only thing that stopped him was the sound of his window creaking open. Stefan shot up like a bolt of lightning, and prepared to attack the intruder. He watched in horror as a hooded figure climbed through his window, and began to walk about the room.

Before he knew it, he was charging forward, stopping only when Caroline's voice cried out his name, and he sighed with relief. "Caroline?"

She removed the shawl from her head, and grinned at him, something he was barely able to see in the dim moonlight. "Boo," She whispered, giggling quietly at Stefan's visible shudder.

"Christ," He breathed, "You scared me."

She nodded, "That was my intent," She replied, gently punching his arm. She watched as he sat back down on his bed, then she sat down beside him, and took his hand in hers, "How have you been," She asked, "You know, since I left?"

He smiled shyly, "I have been bored out of my mind," He replied, "My father made me work for him all day, claiming that I had nothing to do in Damon's absence."

"He's right, you know."

"I wanted to pretend he wasn't, I did not feel like doing anything today."

"I wish I had not been doing anything today."

"Why?"

"My mother and the Lockwoods came to an agreement at dinner this evening. They're going to have Tyler and I marry when I turn eighteen."

Stefan was almost rendered breathless, "And you don't have a say in the matter?" He asked.

She shook her head, "I despise my situation," She replied, "I hate having no control over my life. Now I have less than a year of freedom before I'm a slave to a man like every other woman on this earth." Feeling tears rise to her eyes, she turned away from him, but he simply wrapped his arms around her shoulders, and whispered words of comfort into her ear.

When they pulled away, Stefan's eyes met hers, then she leaned forward, and kissed him for the second time that day. This time their kiss was short, but sweet, and filled with words they couldn't quite find the will to say at the moment.

As she was the one to initiate the kiss, she was the first one to pull away. "Would it be alright if I lay here with you?" She asked, "Just for a little while?"

He nodded, "Just be gone before dawn," He replied, "I don't think either one of us wants to get caught."

"Definitely not," She said, chuckling as she laid her head on Stefan's soft, cotton threaded pillows, then watched as he laid down facing her. They looked at each other for a moment, then she sighed, and moved closer to him. He rolled on his back, and she rested her head on his shoulder, saying nothing. The two fell asleep this way, unaware of the events that were about to unfold in the quiet, unproblematic town of Mystic Falls.


	3. Please, Call me Katherine

The next morning Stefan woke to find Caroline was not sleeping softly beside him like she had been when he'd fallen asleep. He tried not to feel disappointment as he shifted in his sheets, then slowly sat upright, and gazed about the room. Today was the day when everything was going to change, hopefully it wouldn't be for the worst.

The hours passed slowly, he ate breakfast as usual, in awkward silence with his father and various, nameless slaves working about the house to prepare it for their new guest. Then he put on a tan jacket, and took a stroll outside in the maze, looking over at his, Caroline's, and Damon's hiding place, and smiling at it as he passed.

He then walked back into the house, and helped his father with his work, more boring letters to write. After that he was sent outside to "greet our new guest, she could arrive at any minute," as his father told him.

Stefan obeyed, and walked outside, then watched as a horse drawn carriage entered the circular path that led directly to the steps of the mansion, and stopped in front of him. The man driving the carriage then stepped off of his post, and placed a stool in front of the door before opening it.

The first woman out of the carriage was a young, dark skinned woman wearing a sun hat, and white gloves. She took the driver's hand, and stepped out of the carriage gracefully, nodding to the driver as she turned, and offered her hand to the woman behind her, whose face was obscured by her own hat. However, as the second woman stepped out, she looked up, and he got a good look at her face. She was undoubtedly gorgeous; a few loose, brunette curls framing her heart shaped face, and diamond earrings dangling from her ears.

 _Damon would love her,_ Stefan thought, looking the woman up and down, then blushing when he realized she was doing the same thing to him. He shook his head, then walked down the mansion's steps towards her, and placed his hands behind his back. "You must be Miss. Pierce," He said.

She gave him a kind smile, "Please," She said softly, offering him her gloved hand, "Call me Katherine." He took it as she curtsied, then let go when she finished speaking.

He chuckled, "Alright. Hello, Katherine," He replied, walking up the steps as she followed him, "This is the Salvatore Mansion."

Katherine gazed over the mansion, seeming somewhat unimpressed, but like she was trying to hide it. She gave him the same kind smile she had when he'd first spoken to her, "It's lovely," She murmured.

Stefan then opened the door, and stepped inside, holding his arm out in a welcome gesture.

The brunette in front of him and her companion exchanged an awkward glance, then Stefan grinned awkwardly, "You may come in," He said, and then his house guest bowed her head, and walked suavely through the front door.

"Thank you, Mr. Salvatore," She said.

"Please," He replied, "Call me Stefan."

They both chuckled as they walked deeper into the Salvatore house, and into what Giuseppe referred to as the ballroom, where they'd hosted various parties over the years they'd lived in the mansion. In the ballroom, the man himself was standing by a window, a glass of his favorite brandy in his hand, and his eyes staring at the woods behind their mansion.

Stefan cleared his throat, "Father," He muttered, then Giuseppe turned his head, and gave a false smile.

"This must be Miss. Pierce," He observed, walking over to the three, taking Katherine's hand, and kissing it, "I am Giuseppe Salvatore; we are pleased to have you here."

"The pleasure's all mine, Mr. Salvatore," Katherine replied, once again bowing her head.

Giuseppe turned his gaze on his son, "Stefan, would you please show Miss. Pierce to her—"

"Yes, father," Stefan replied, interrupting him before he could finish, then turning to Katherine, "Right this way, ma'am."

They then left Giuseppe standing in the middle of the ballroom stunned, and silently fuming.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Stefan stole a glance at Katherine, who was now walking by his side, "You seem troubled, Stefan," She said inquisitively, as if she were asking him rather than telling him.

He nodded, "My father," He replied, "He's not a very kind man."

Katherine chuckled lightly, "I got that impression," She said as they walked up a staircase leading into a carpeted hallway, "His smile when he introduced himself was an obvious farce."

Stefan sighed, then stopped walking at one of the many large, white doors in the hallway, and opened it, "This is where you'll be staying," He said, "I hope it'll be comfortable."

Katherine gazed about the room, then turned to her companion, "Emily, would you please go fetch the luggage?" She asked, "I'm afraid we left it in our carriage."

The other woman, Emily, nodded, "Yes, Miss. Katherine," She replied, then she left the large room.

As soon as Emily was gone, Katherine turned to Stefan, winked, and then proceeded to run to a pink blanketed bed, and flop herself onto it. She sighed in exasperation, then she looked at Stefan, who had raised a puzzled eyebrow, "It was a long ride here," She explained, "I hope you understand."

"Of course," Stefan replied, "I'll leave you alone, now."

"You don't have to do that."

"Well, there's somewhere I have to be."

"Where are you going?"

"To visit a friend," He replied, it wasn't exactly a lie. Caroline was his friend, whom he happened to kiss and have feelings for.

"Ah, a friend, or a _friend_?"

"…"

"Sorry, that was rude of me," Katherine muttered, sitting up abruptly, "When will you return?"

Stefan shrugged in response, "Before sun down," He replied.

"So, I will see you tonight?"

"Yes."

"Alright then, have fun with your _friend_ , Mr. Salvatore."

Stefan laughed as he exited the room, "I told you, call me Stefan."

Immediately after he closed the door, Stefan quietly made his way back down the stairs, the only person who saw him make his hasty, but silent, exit out of the mansion was Emily, who seemed to pay him no attention as he hurriedly opened the door, and slipped out. Stefan then casually walked out of the property, and onto the road leading to the Forbes' mansion.

It was a five minute walk at most, even with the southern humidity making him sweat a little in his jacket, and begin to pant even though he was in good shape.

When he arrived, he allowed himself a moment to catch his breath before knocking on the door, and then waiting for someone—hopefully Caroline—to answer it.

Unfortunately, it was not Caroline who was behind the door when it opened, it was her mother. Elizabeth Forbes was a kind woman. Sure, she was forcing her daughter into a marriage, but in the day and age that they were in, there wasn't much else she could do for Caroline to give her a secure future. Especially in a small town like Mystic Falls.

The blonde woman in front of Stefan gave him a smile, "Hello, Stefan," She said politely, "What can I do for you?"

He returned the smile, "Hello, Mrs. Forbes, is your daughter here?" He asked.

She nodded in response, "She's out in the back, sitting on our bench, come in," She replied, then watched as Stefan walked past her. She then shut the door, and followed him, "Stefan?" She asked.

"Hmm?"

"She's feeling a little down today, I think she's been feeling down ever since she and I went to the Lockwoods yesterday, and I have tried to make her feel better—"

"I understand, ma'am."

"Thank you, Stefan."

"Not a problem."

Stefan then walked down a porcelain-floored hallway, and towards the door in the back that led to a deck, where one could view the expansive Forbes property in all its glory. He found Caroline sitting on the bench just outside of the door, and slowly sat down next to his best friend. "How are you?" He asked.

"I thought I'd be better," She replied, "If I am being honest."

Stefan took her hand, "What is it?"

Caroline sighed, "I was arguing with my mother earlier about…. Well, you're aware…"

She leaned on his shoulder, and watched as a hawk flew over their heads, chasing a smaller bird into the trees. "Anyway, I would rather not talk about it," She said, "How was Miss. Pierce?"

Stefan laughed, "She's charming, that's for certain," He replied, "And very beautiful. My first thought when I saw her was, 'Damon would love her,' and I'm certain he will."

"What does she look like?"

"She's a little tall, not as tall as you, but tall, and she has dark hair."

"She really is Damon's sort of girl."

They both laughed briefly, and then looked each other in the eyes. A silent conversation seemed to pass between them, then they looked away, back out at the endless sea of green leaves, "Speaking of Damon," Caroline said suddenly, interrupting their silence, "When is he coming home?"

Stefan glanced at her, "He says he doesn't know, but knowing Damon, he could come back any day now, and give up on being a soldier."

Caroline scoffed, "He wouldn't, and no man just gives up on defending the south, not if he wants to keep his pride."

"Have you met Damon?"

"I see your point, I just miss having both of you around, as much as I l… enjoy your company, it's fun to beat Damon in a game of 'who can throw the ball farthest'."

Stefan raised an eyebrow, and Caroline looked at him confusedly, "What?" She asked.

"Do you happen to have a ball?" Stefan asked in response.

Caroline shook her head, "No," She replied, "Unfortunately not. If I did I could beat you too."

"You may want to watch your tongue, Miss. Forbes," Stefan teased.

The blonde flipped a strand of curly hair over her shoulder, "You may want to prepare for a loss, Mr. Salvatore," She replied in the same tone.

He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, and when he pulled away, he said, "Perhaps tomorrow, you could meet me on the steps of the mansion, and we can find out which of us is the best at throwing the ball."

"Tomorrow's good," Caroline replied, "How about… noon?"

Stefan nodded, "Noon," He said pressing a kiss to her forehead.

Caroline smiled softly up at him, "You know, Tyler is a gentleman," she said suddenly, "He's not horrible, and it won't be the worst being married to him, but…"

"But what?"

"We're not close, he and I. If I have to marry anyone, I want it to be someone I'm at the very least friends with…"

He could sense the invisible, _"like you"_ hanging off the edge of her words. "I feel the same way," He replied.

The girl sitting by his side let out a sigh, and placed her chin on his shoulder, and looked up at him, "So," She said quietly, "Tomorrow then?"

He nodded, "Tomorrow," He replied as she slid off of him, then he stood, and offered her his hand.

She stood with him, and when he started to lead her back inside of her house, she stopped him. "Wait," She breathed, then she gently pressed her lips onto his.

Stefan reciprocated her kiss, and though neither of them parted their lips there was enough passion in their kiss to make a prostitute blush. He pulled away from her, then took her hand in his, and finally led her back inside of the house.

He kept his hold on her hand until they reached the Forbes' front door, and Stefan leaned against it, "I have to go back," He said, "My father doesn't know I've gone."

"You rebel, Stefan," Caroline scolded him, attempting to sound serious, but the smile on her face gave her away.

He chuckled lightly, then he took her hand to his lips, and kissed it, "Goodbye, Caroline," He said softly.

"Goodbye Stefan," She replied as he opened the door, and left.

As soon as Stefan was gone, Caroline turned around to find her mother staring at her with an eyebrow raised, and an expression that said she knew exactly what had just happened. "This isn't what you think," Caroline blurted out.

Her mother sighed, "Caroline," She breathed, walking towards her daughter, "It's alright, honestly, I'm glad it was him and not that Lockwood boy."

"Tyler isn't _that_ bad."

"He's a Lockwood, and they may be rich, but they are _that_ bad."

As Caroline and her mother both laughed in the Forbes mansion, Stefan walked back to the Salvatore's, once again braving the southern humidity that came with the mid-afternoon hours that made the air hot and thick despite the cloud cover above. _It's going to rain, isn't it?_ Stefan thought, silently hoping that the gray sky above him wouldn't drop any thick, wet droplets on him in the short walk home.

The sky was merciful that day, and Stefan made it home dry. He sighed in relief as he placed his hand on the door handle to the mansion, and silently turned it, praying that his father wouldn't hear it, or that he hadn't noticed his son had left. As he opened the door, it squeaked a little and he winced, but slowly opened it more and more until he could fit through.

He slid into the door easily, and closed it behind him without any squeaks or other door noises. When he turned around, however, his heart nearly jumped out of his chest, for Katherine was right in front of him, and she was so close that their chests were nearly touching. "Katherine!" He squeaked, then he cleared his throat, "What are you doing here?" He asked in his normal voice.

Katherine's eyes zeroed in on his, "Where were you just now?" She asked.

What he wanted to say was, "Out for a walk in the maze," but what came out of his mouth was, "I was at a friend's house."

"What friend? Tell the truth."

He wanted to say _,"Matt Donovan."_

"Caroline Forbes."

"Do you have feelings for her?"

He wanted to say, "No, she's just my friend."

What came out was, "Yes, I do."

Katherine nodded, and took his hand, "Thank you for telling me," She said sweetly, "Now forget we had this conversation."

Stefan blinked, and looked up at the stairs suddenly feeling funny, as if he'd forgotten something important. He shrugged it off, and began to walk up the stairs towards his bedroom to dress for dinner. As he walked, he heard hushed voices coming from Katherine's room, and when he passed it in the hallway, he observed that the door was wide open, and Katherine and Emily were seated on her bed staring out into the hallway—any trace of their conversation was gone.

"Hello, Stefan," Katherine purred, "What brings you here?"

Stefan searched his mind for an excuse, "I thought you might want me to close the door," He replied, then silently applauded himself for his response, "Someone might hear your conversation."

Katherine gave him a polite smile, "Absolutely," she said, "Thank you, Stefan."

He gave her a nod in return, then slowly closed the door. As he walked away, he could hear the hushed whispers continue, but he pushed it off, and walked down the hall, into his bedroom. He sat down on his bed, and began to take off his clothes to prepare for dinner with his father and Katherine, the two people who at the moment made him the most nervous.

It was going to be a long night.


	4. The Forbes and the Mountain Lion

Twenty minutes later, Stefan, Katherine, and Giuseppe were gathered around a polished dark wood table with food on the porcelain plates in front of them. They made small talk as they bit into their entrees, Giuseppe doing most of the talking.

"If you don't mind me asking, Miss. Pierce," Giuseppe said, "How exactly did you escape the fires in Atlanta? I had heard the Yankees gave those poor souls no mercy."

She shook her head, and gave him a sad smile, "It is alright to ask, Mr. Salvatore," She breathed, "You are right, they did give us no mercy. I barely made it out alive. I was instructed to leave our home with Emily, my hand maiden, and then run until we found shelter."

She took a sip of her drink, a red wine that Giuseppe usually reserved for this sort of occasion, and continued, "We nearly had to abandon our carriage several times on the way out," She confessed, "If we were caught escaping, we would have been killed."

"You would have been killed if you stayed," Stefan said, looking up at her from where she sat across from him.

Katherine glanced at Stefan, and nodded, "Yes, I would have," She replied, "Mercifully I made it out alive, and I found shelter here with the two of you."

The boy across from her cleared his throat, "Actually, there are three of us here, my older brother, Damon is off fighting in the war," He said proudly.

A curious expression developed on the brunette's face, and she paused briefly before she spoke, "He must be brave if he's joining the war effort."

Stefan glanced at his father, urging him silently not to say anything, "He is," he told Katherine, "He just left to rejoin the confederate troops a few days ago."

She raised an eyebrow, "When will he return?" She asked, "I'd like to meet him."

Stefan opened his mouth to answer, but his father answered Katherine's question for him, "Hopefully not for a while," He said with a chuckle, "I sincerely wish that by the time I see my eldest son again, the war will be over."

His son and his house guest chuckled lightly, and raised their glasses to Giuseppe. A silence settled over them briefly as they continued to eat their food. Stefan and Katherine exchanged a few awkward glances at each other from across the table before they'd both blush, and look down. A bird cawed just outside the window behind Giuseppe, who sat at the end, and Stefan looked up, watching the sun set between the trees.

He cleared his throat, "Since you're new to Mystic Falls, would you mind if I showed you around tomorrow?" He asked Katherine.

She nodded eagerly, "I wouldn't mind at all," She replied, "If I'm going to be staying here for a while, I may as well get to know my way around. Thank you, Stefan."

A series of smiles were exchanged between the two, then the conversation was continued by Giuseppe, "That's a wonderful idea, son," He said, "Perhaps while you are at it, you could introduce her to Miss. Forbes. She will need a friend while she is here, and the Forbes girl is already on good terms with you."

Katherine watched Stefan's face when his father mentioned Caroline, noticing that he seemed to perk up a little upon hearing her name, but when he heard his father say, "She will need a friend," she noticed his expression shift with a twinge of jealousy. It was becoming clearer to her by the moment that Stefan's feelings for Caroline were deeper than she'd initially thought when she'd compelled him shortly before their meal together.

The brunette shifted her facial features to convey a sense of confusion, "Who is Miss. Forbes?" She asked politely.

A smile crossed Stefan's face, "Her name is Caroline, and she is a good friend of mine," He replied, "And Damon's, we've known each other our whole lives." He set his fork down on the table, and looked at the setting sun.

"Miss. Forbes does not have many female acquaintances here herself," Giuseppe added, "It would be nice for her to meet a new face. It seems she's grown tired of all the old ones around here, with the exception of my sons of course."

A brief nod was given to Stefan's father, then they all resumed eating. When they finished, Stefan looked back up at the window, and noticed the sun still hadn't finished setting, and he looked across the table at Katherine, who was also looking at the sunset. He cleared his throat to get her attention, and her head of dark curls shifted to look at him, "What is it, Stefan?" She asked, noticing the confusion from Giuseppe when she called him by his first name.

He cocked his head towards the sunset, "Care to join me outside?" He asked, "I could tell you were enjoying the sunset."

To his surprise, Katherine shook her head, "No," She replied, smiling kindly, "But perhaps some other time? I've just had a long journey here, and I need some rest." She stood from her seat slowly, and bowed her head to Giuseppe, "I'm aware that it is early, but if you don't mind—"

"I assure you, it's alright, Miss. Pierce," Giuseppe said lightly, "Take your rest."

The girl standing before him gave him a nod before suavely making her exit. Stefan stared after her, then looked at his father, "I think I too would like to get some rest," He confessed, "I will see you in the morning, father." His father sighed, but didn't say anything as Stefan made his own exit from the room.

As Stefan made his way to the staircase, the sun finally set behind the trees, causing the brightness of the mansion to dim, and a chill to run down his spine. He shook it off, and began to climb the stairs, stopping when he heard a series of footsteps rapidly making their way towards him, and he saw the hem of a skirt come into his view.

He looked up to see Katherine staring down at him, her gloved arms holding a cotton shawl closed in front of her chest, and a well sculpted eyebrow raised at the sight of him. "What are you doing here, Stefan?" She asked, seeming slightly on edge, like she couldn't wait for him to leave.

They looked at each other expectantly for a moment before Stefan spoke again, "I was heading upstairs," He told her, "To get some rest. Wasn't that what you were doing?"

She seemed to freeze for a moment, as if she had been caught committing a crime, then she slowly nodded, "Yes," She said nervously, "I-It was, but I got too restless, and I decided to take a walk around the grounds."

That made sense to Stefan, but something about the way she said it told him it was a lie, that she was really doing something else, and she hadn't expected him to see her do it. However, he decided that it wasn't worth questioning her, if she wanted him to know, she would've told him what she was doing. Still, it was likely not a good idea to let someone go out in the dark alone, "Do you want me to join you?" He asked, "It isn't very safe out there at night."

She gave him a response almost immediately, "No," She replied, then Stefan watched as the whites of her eyes turned red, and the veins beneath them became dark, and more pronounced, as if they were infected. Katherine immediately looked away, and Stefan's expression shifted from politeness to curiosity, worry, and then fear.

"Are you alright?" He asked, reaching a hand out for her arm. She pushed it away, and looked back at him. Her eyes had returned to normal.

"I'm fine," She replied, "I must have had something in my eye." She giggled lightly, and Stefan joined her a second later.

He moved to let her pass, figuring he must've been seeing things. As soon as she passed him, Stefan made his way up the stairs, scratching his head in confusion, but not looking back at Katherine. What the hell had he just seen?

Meanwhile Caroline and her mother had just finished meals of their own, and the two women were seated in the back of their home looking out past their fields where various, nameless slaves and maids were heading into their little shack-like homes after finishing the day's work. As the sun finished its final descent, Caroline looked at her mother, "Stefan told me earlier that their house guest had arrived safely," She said, hoping to spark a conversation.

Her mother glanced at her, "I had heard the Salvatores were expecting company," She replied, "What was her name again? Katherine?"

The woman sitting beside her nodded, "Yes, mother, Katherine Pierce," She said, "Stefan was telling me that she was beautiful, that Damon would love her."

"Ha! Damon loves any woman he meets; of course he would love her."

"Very true."

"Though he'd never admit it to any of them, do you remember when he attempted to court the Fells' daughter?"

"Which one?"

"The youngest."

Caroline let out a laugh, "How could I forget?" She asked, "He came to Stefan and I afterwards and he asked us to hide him for the rest of his life. He was in tears. ' _She doesn't love me, Caroline! She doesn't love me!_ '"

"Honoria told me that Amelia was laughing hysterically at Damon. I've heard it's still a topic of conversation during dinner at the Fell household."

"He was incredibly nervous that day; a nervous, blubbering mess whom I can't imagine any woman would want to be associated with."

Liz looked over at her daughter, and smiled, "Hopefully Stefan doesn't get like that around you," She said softly.

A sigh escaped Caroline's lips, "It's unlikely, since I am supposed to be marrying Tyler some time before I am twenty," She muttered.

Her mother took her daughter's hand in hers, "I am sorry that we have to do this, Caroline, I am, but you know I wouldn't do it if we had another option for you," She said.

Caroline nodded, "I know," She replied, "But why the Lockwoods? Why not Matt Donovan, or one of the Salvatore boys? Or the Fells- wait their son is only ten years old, forget that."

"Because the Lockwoods are the richest family in Mystic Falls, the Donovans simply do not have enough money to support any additions to their family, and I do not want Giuseppe Salvatore to be your father in law," Liz confessed, "His sons are wonderful people—they probably get their personalities from their mother—but their father…"

They both looked down at the ground, and sat in silence for a moment. The two listened as the cicadas began to sing and the barn owls started to say, "hoo," and watched the faint shadows of the birds of prey as they swooped down for food. Suddenly, a rather large black shape burst out of the trees, and headed towards the shacks where the slaves lived. The sight of it, though it was probably just an abnormally large owl, sent a shiver down Caroline's spine, and reminded her that it was now night time.

"It's very late," Caroline observed, "We should get inside."

Her mother nodded in agreement, and they stood together, walking towards the back door to their mansion side by side. Caroline reached her hand out for the door, but stopped when she heard a loud scream coming from behind her. She and her mother turned around, and listened, waiting for the sound to be made again.

"Did you hear that?" Liz asked, and Caroline gulped nervously, glancing at her mother's frightened expression from the corner of her eye.

The scream resonated throughout their property once again, and Caroline watched as her mother took off running towards the slave's quarters. "Mother!" She cried, chasing after her. She watched as various torches were lit, and several slaves came out of their homes, investigating the scream.

Another scream sounded, but this one was different from the last, for it came from a woman rather than a man, and it sounded like she was in anguish. Caroline and her mother slowed their pace before they finally arrived on the scene. Their dozen or so slaves—who mostly worked in the house since they did not have a plantation home—were crowded around something, their brows creased in worry. Caroline's mother politely pushed past them, and let out an audible gasp as she saw what they'd been surrounding.

Caroline followed suit, and looked down at the ground to see one of the slaves lying dead in a pool of his own blood, which was still growing around his head in a red halo. "What happened?" She asked her mother, bending down to look at him. Her mother gently turned his head over, then Caroline watched as Liz's face grew pale, and a bead of sweat streaked down her forehead.

"Mother?" Caroline asked concerned.

Her mother stood, and faced one of the male slaves standing before her; still wearing his uniform from working as one of their manservants, "You," She addressed him, "Go fetch the sheriff, tell him it's urgent."

The manservant nodded, "Yes ma'am," He said, before running off to do as he'd been told.

Liz then turned to her daughter, and sighed, "We need to get back into the house before the sheriff gets here," She said quietly, then she turned to the other slaves, "All of you, go inside your homes, and do not come back out."

They all gave a brief nod, and then they walked away, a few sobbing quietly as they went, possibly relatives of the deceased man. Caroline watched as her mother joined them, heading in the direction of the mansions, but before she left, she leaned over the dead man. She had to find out what had terrified her mother so badly. Slowly, she turned his head, and looked at his wound using the fading torchlight as her guide.

There were two puncture wounds on his neck, from which blood was still slowly flowing. Caroline immediately removed her hands from the man, and gasped in shock. _What could've done this?_ She thought, looking out at the woods. It was then that she remembered the large, black as the night shadow that she'd seen earlier. Had that been the creature that had attacked the man on the ground before her?

Feeling thoroughly spooked, Caroline stood, and ran as fast as she could back into the mansion. Her mother was waiting for her just inside the door, glaring at her sternly. "What is it, mother?" She asked.

Liz shook her head, "I told you to get back to the house immediately," She growled, "And you didn't."

Caroline blinked at her mother, "You never told me to get back inside, you said 'we need to get back into the house,' not 'get back inside, Caroline,'" She replied, "I got a glimpse at the man's injury. What could have done this?"

There was a very pregnant pause between them before Liz gulped nervously, and looked into her daughter's eyes, "Listen Caroline," She whispered, "It's very likely that it was just a mountain lion."

Caroline scoffed, "A mountain lion?" She asked, "What sort of mountain lion has such small teeth, and doesn't do anything but take a bite out of his neck?"

Suddenly Liz's hands gripped Caroline's shoulders firmly, and she brought her eyebrows together, "Caroline, it was a mountain lion," She said, "I promise you. What else could have done it?"

A million thoughts crossed Caroline's mind before she pulled away from her mother, and walked down the hall, "I'm going to bed," She muttered before running up the stairs, and into her room. As soon as the door was shut, Caroline stalked over to the window on the other side of the room, and threw back the curtains, letting the moonlight from the half full moon cover the entire space. She looked out at the slave quarters, searching the woods beyond them for any other signs of the mysterious shadow she'd seen earlier.

Seeing nothing, Caroline backed away from her curtains, then jumped when she heard the distant sound of a knock on the front door. _The Sheriff must be here_ , she realized. Immediately, she walked over to her door, and opened it ever-so-slightly so she could hear what her mother and the sheriff were saying.

"Thank you for coming on such a short notice, Mr. Fell," She heard her mother say, "I promise, I wouldn't have called if it weren't urgent."

A chuckle, "I would have come even if it weren't, Ms. Forbes, I promised your husband that I would during his time as sheriff," He replied.

Another chuckle, this time from her mother, "Believe me, he wouldn't be disappointed in you," She said.

Nothing but footsteps for a moment, then the sheriff spoke again, "What happened out there?" He asked in a gravelly voice.

The voices grew more distant, and Caroline opened her door a tiny bit more, wincing when she heard it squeak. "One of our manservants was attacked," Liz replied, "I looked at his injuries, I believe it was one of _them_."

Intrigued, Caroline opened the door even more, and crawled out of her room, peering over a railing to see the conversation as well as she could hear it. Her mother and the sheriff were walking down the wide hallway towards the back of the mansion as they spoke, their backs were turned to the peeping blonde.

"Are you sure, Elizabeth?" The sheriff asked, stopping himself and her mother in their tracks, "If it was one of them…"

Her mother gave the sheriff a nod, and they started walking again, "Yes, I'm sure," She replied, "And I'm well aware of what will happen if it is one of them…" Caroline couldn't hear anymore, they were out of earshot.

 _What in hell?_ She thought, the words "one of them," echoing through her mind. Who was "them"? Was it a band of criminals? A killer? She had no idea, the only thing she knew for certain was that she'd have one hell of a story to tell Stefan the next day.


End file.
